The head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, has resigned today. Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted his resignation and appointed him as acting head of Ingushetia.
According to RIA Novosti, Yevkurov did this in order to be able to take part in the direct elections of the head of Ingushetia, similarly to how a month earlier the mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, resigned from his position.
Thus, Yevkurov's resignation is just a formality required for the participation of the current leader of Ingushetia in the forthcoming elections, and not any real change of power.
At a meeting with Yevkurov, Putin thanked him for his work. "I want to thank you for your work ... You got a tough deal," RIA Novosti quotes Putin, who then added officially : "I ask you to perform the duties of the head of the republic of Ingushetia until the elections."
Press Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Ingushetia under the Russian President, Irina Kupsenkova, has confirmed the information. "Yes, indeed, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov has resigned due to the fact that the People's Assembly of Ingushetia has taken the decision to elect the head of the republic. To comply with the law he had to resign in order to be able to be elected for the second term," the spokeswoman said.
